Improvement in washing-machines



. a movement toward and from UNITED STATES PHILLIP G. DAHMER,

or NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN WASHING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 139,497, dated June 3, 1873 application filed May 15, 1873. 1

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PHILLIP G. DAHMER, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented an 1111 proved Washing-Machine, of which the following is a specification:

This machine consists essentially of a pair of rotary brushes, and a pair of feed-rollers made to rotate at a lower speed, whereby, while every portion of the articles to be washed is presented in succession to be operated upon they are heldor retarded while the brushes in their more rapid motion rub over them, and the articles are very thoroughly cleansed of all dirt.

in the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a side view of a washing-machine made according to my invention; and Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate oorresponding parts in both figures.

A is the box or tub of the machine. It is square in form and is erected on standards B. A cover, 0, is provided on it, and likewise it is furnished with an escape-cock, D, for allowing the water used in washing to run out after having done its work. About the middle of the box there are situated two rotary brushes, E E, which are geared together by wheels at a on the ends of their shafts, outside the box, so that they rotate together. The brush E is so arranged in its bearings that it may have its fellow brush to adjust itself to dili'erent thicknesses in the articles passed between them. It is held up to the brush by means of a spring, which is applied as follows The brush is supported in boxes b, which are free to slide in a direction transverse to the axis of the brush. Screws 0 work in tapped holes in bearings d, situate at the edges of the tub, and their ends enter the boxes b aforesaid, but in nowise interfere with their play. Springs 6 are applied to these screws between their bearings d and the boxes b, and force the latter toward the journals of the brush E. Over these brushes are arranged apair of rollers, G G, which, like the brushes, are geared together to run in unison, and in still further similarity to the brushes; one of them, G, is made adjustable toward the other. This roller G is supported in sliding boxes f, having springs 9 applied to them. These rollersare covered with India rubber, the better to hold the articles while being scoured by the brushes, as will be presently explained. On the outer journal of the roller G there is arranged a large gear, I, and it has applied to it also a crank, K, by which the machine may be driven when desirable to employ hand-power for that purpose. ion on the journal of the brush E, and impart-s motion to it and also to its fellow. The brushes are thus driven at a much greater speed than the rollers. A shaft, J, supported in the standards B may be connected with the journal of the roller G by means of pulleys and a belt, and thus aii'ords a means of driving the machine by treadle or by any motor.

The articles to be washed are introduced to the machine through a slot in its cover over the rollers G G, or the cover may be opened to permit their introduction. They pass between the rollers and thence move onward to the brushes. As the brushes move faster than the rollers they rub over the articles and scour them thoroughly and very effectually cleanse them.

The machine thus constructed is very efficient and simple, and owing to the yielding nature of the brushes the clothes are in no danger of injury from the rubbing operation to which they are subjected.

The same combination of rollers and brushes may be arranged in the frame suitable for application to an ordinary wash-tub. In that case there would have to he provided some means for shedding back into the tub the water expressed from the clothes intheir passage between the rollers and brushes.

What I claim as my invention is- The pair of rotary brushes E E, one of which is adjustable relatively to its fellow, as described, and the pair of rollers G G rotating at a lower rate of speed, the whole combined and organized substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

PHILLIP G. DAHMER.

Witnesses: it

Enwm H. BROWN, MIonAEL" RYAN.

This gear meshes into a small pin- 

